Direction-indicator for automobiles



F. E. BRANSTON.

DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30. I9I9.

1,37 1,346, Patented Mar. 15, 192i.

,1 .F \I J ,0 3 I I \r I 4 6 a "II 7 7 I II t u I u 9 filo 91 9 Io l nvenfor. F.E.Bransron. qwzwcwwm.

ATTY '6 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DIRECTION -INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Application filed July 30,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I FRANK EDWARD BRAN- sroN, subject of the ling of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Direction-Indicators for Automobiles, of which the following is the specification.

My invention relates to improvements in direction indicators for automobiles, and the object of the invention is to devise an indicator which will indicate to a car in the rear which direction the car carrying v the device is going to turn.

A further object is to construct a device in which the direction signals will be illuminated at night.

My invention consists of a casing provided with a central longitudinal partition having a plurality of vertical slots therethrough, direction signals vertically slidable in the aforesaid slots and normally invisible, means for raising the direction signals into a visible iosition, and means for illuminating the signals at night when they are in the raised position, all as herein more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which 2- Fig. 1 represents an elevation of the device constructed according to my invention, showing part of the casing broken away to show the interior.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatical view showing the electrical connections for operating the device.

Like characters or" reference indicate corresponoing parts in the different views.

1 is the casing provided with a central longitudinal partition 2 having a plurality of vertical slots 3 therethrough. d are direction signals mounted on blocks 5 designed to be inserted into the slots 3 and to be slidable therein, the said blocks 5 being provided with iron plates 6. 7 are electroniagnets suitably mounted in the casing 1. S are switches designed to complete-the electric light circuit and throw on the lights 9 when the direction signals are raised.

The device operates as follows In the drawing it will be seen that there Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 15, 1921.

1919. Serial No. 314,323.

are three direction signals, indicating turning to the left, stopping, and turning to the right respectively. These signals can be independently raised into the visible position by the energizing of the electro-Inagnets 7 which will draw up the plates 6 and the blocks 5 and signals 4; attached thereto. When the block 5 strikes the spring held plunger 10 of the switch 8, this plunger will be carried up by the block 5 until its head engages the plates 11, which will complete the electric circuit, and lightthe light 9 over the particular direction signa-.

The device is designed to be controlled from the dash board or wheel of the automobile. In Fig. 3 the circuits for energizing the electro-magnets and lighting the lights 9 are shown, as well as a switch 12 for con trolling the different electro-magnets. The lighting of these lights 9 is controlled by the switches 8 so that whenever the direction signal is raised the corresponding light will be turned on. The lighting circuit may be rendered inoperative by turning off a main switch (not shown).

From the above description it will be seen that the device constructed according to my invention will present many advantages and will to a great extent render avoidable the numerous accidents that take place in congested thoroughfares.

The device may further be applied to the front of automobiles to indicate to the policeman on point duty, or people in front of the vehicle which direction it is going to proceed.

What I claim as my invention is In a direction indicator for automobiles, the combination with a casing having a window opening therein, of a vertical partition extending longitudinally of the casing and having a plurality of vertical slots extending therethrough, slide blocks having grooves in their sides, the walls of the said slots engaging the said grooves in the slide blocks, overlapping direction signals secured to the slide blocks and means for raising anyone signal into such position that it registers with the window opening in the casing.

FRANK EDWARD BRANSTON. 

